Automobile locking device



E. rC. RUSSELL. AUTQMOBILE LOCKING DEVICE. APPucAnoN:l msn APR, 25, |917.

1,437,020 Patented Nov. 28, 1922 E. C. RUSSELL. AUTOMOBILELOCKING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR.25. IQII.

Patented NGV. 2s, 1922-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Patented ltlovu 2g, 1922.,

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AUTOMOBILE Locarno nevica;

application ined april 25, i917. serial no. ieee-ii.

'lorctll 107mm it' may concern.'

.be it known that I, Etrnnson C. Rossem., a citizen of the United States, residing `at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented new and useful linprovements in Automobile Locking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

vThis invention relates to improvements in locking devices for automobiles, andmore particularly to that class of lockingv devices designed to prevent the passage of the eX- plosive gas from the carbureter into the cylinders of an internal combustion motor, hence making impossible the unauthorized operation thereof.

ln devices of this character an important feature is to provide a construction calculated to render the device proof against the efforts of dishonest persons to accomplish their Aends in spite of the presence of a loc-king device, or, in short, to effect the stealing of an automobile, even though it liasbeen previously locked. A. locking device which can be entirely removed or detached in a short time and with little dimculty, clearly not proof against the cunning thief. Again, a device wherein thelocking parts are accessible to the thief, is not ordinarily proof against theft, for the rea-son that it is capable of being operated by other means than by the key or combination lock, as for instance by cutting an operating rod intermediate the valve and the locking mechanism, or breakingsoine part which would permit the operation of the device to unlock the automobile without disturbing the locking mechanism.

The purpose of this invention is to `provide a locking device designed more especially with a view to resist all manner of attempts and tricks to render the device inoperative, as by removing `it entirely, or to mutilate it in such a manner that the automobile can be started in spite of the utmost,

present invention relates to a locking device embodying the hereinbefore mentioned esl considerable time and labor. Furthermore,

the device is constructed so as to protect the locking members from access by means that would ordinarily be employed to break the lock or render it useless.

The device embodying the features ofthe i invention is hereinafter more fully set forth in the description which follows, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the `inlet side of the motor of an automobile, showing the general arrangement and location of the locking device;

Figure 2 `is an enlarged view in vertical section of the locking device, `taken on line 2-2 of Figure Bgand Figure 3 is Va cross-sectional view of the locking device taken on line 3*?) of Figure 2.

Referring in general to tl'ieinternal combustion motor 10 associi'ited with the device embodying the ieatures of the invention, the saine is of the usual design, located in the forward part of the automobile and having an exhaust manifold-11 and a mixture intake member 1", comprisinga horizontally arranged manifold 13 communica ing at its ends with intake ports of the engine and an integral intake pipe lll branching downwardly from the central portion thereof. A carbureter 15, of the usual design, is mounted at the lower end of the intake pipe. rlllhe intake and exhaust manifolds are removably secured to the motor by means of clamping members 16, which extend over portions of said manifolds, se.- curing the same tightly against the motor by means of bolts extending through the central portions of said clamping members.

rhe locking device, designed to prevent `the passage of the hydrocarbon from the V carburetor to the cylinders, comprises a casing l?, integral with the intake pipe 14C and located substantially midway between the carbureter 15 and the manifold 13. As shown in Figure 2, the casing eX- tends laterally from the pipe 11i in a direction away from the motor 10, and is arranged in horizontal position, it being` noted that the pipe 14 is inclined to a slight angle outwardly and downwardly from the manifold.

rllhe casing 17, which is cast of metal and integrally with the manifold, consistsv of upright side walls 18, a bottom wall 19, and a top wall :20, the latter having a comparatively large circular opening 21, adapted to be closed by a cover plate 22, hereinafter more fully described. ln contour the casing is somewhat irregular, being semicircular throughout the outer portion, merging into divergent straight portions on opposite sides of the intake pipe, which meet a curvilinear inner wall portion, preferably conforming to the arc of a circle taken about the center of the semicircular portion as a center. rllhe inner wall portion extends just to the rear of and includes the intake pipe, which is located Aadjacent to one end of said inner wall portion, or in one corner of the casing. Separating the interior of the casing and the intake pipe is a dividing wall Q3, of increased thickness of metal, which surrounds the passage of the intake pipe, throughout the lportion vthereof within the casing, it being noted that said passage is elongated, thus presenting an oval shape in cross-section. llVithin this wall is formed a slot Q3, extending transversely of the intake passage and located a Yshort distance above the bottom wall 19 of the casing, This slot extends around the sides of the intake passage, facing in the direction of the interior of the casing. Formed about the remaining sides of the passage is a groove 2a, lyingin the plane of the slot. rThe slot and groove are formed by means of a core in the casting operation, or by a cutting operation by means of a suitable machine tool, after the casing has been cast.

lvlounted Ain the casing at a point removed from the intake pipe and centrally of the semicircular portion of the casing, is a vertical shaft or stem 25, the same extending through and beyond a cover plate 22 hereinafter describefjl more in detail. The stem terminates adjacent the lower wall of the czsing` ai l loosely mounted at the lower end thereof is a valve member 26, there being provided a. collar 27 mounted upon the lower end, of the stem. The valve member comprises a flat, elongated plate having somewhat the shape of a fan, being pivoted at its smaller end and diverging outwardly toward its outer end, which forms the valve proper, said end being shaped to correspond to the cross-.sectional contour of the intake passage, though slightly greater in area, in order to extend beyond the inner surface of said passage and into the surrounding grooves. r)The valve member extends generally in toe direction of the intake passage, and is adapted to be swung about the stem 25 as a pivot from open position, (as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3), wherein the valve member is positioned kto the right of vthe intake passage and within'the interior of the casing, to closed nosition, (as shown in full lines in Figure 3), the valve moving laterally with respect to the intake passage and becoming seated within the groove 211 partially surrounding the intake passage, thus completely shutting olf the passage of the mixture through the intake pi pe and into the cylinders beyond. lt is to be noted further that in open position a forward marginal portion `of the valve .member rests within the entrance to the slot, thus the eX- tension provided by the increased thickness of metal provides a guide for the valve member in its movement into and out of closed position.

As a means for manipulating the valve member, the following mechanism is employed. Mounted upon the under side of the cover-plate and within the casing, is a permutation lock, of any suitable construction, although preferably comprising a cylindric lock casing 2S containing a series of locking members or tumblers 29. These tumblers are rotated by means of the shaft 25, together with other members arranged `to control the tumblers `in a manner characteristic of locks of this kind, namely, to rotate the several tumblers in order that the same may be brought into a predetermined relation or registration, by the rotation of the shaft in a predetermined direction and through a predetermined angle, ordinarily indicated by points, or clicks, which are counted in either direction from a space free from points. Having arranged the tumblers in registration, according to .a predetermined combination or series of clicksf the lock is unlocked, the valve member being free to be operated, aswill be seen from the following. Depending from the under surface of the lowermost tumbler 29, is a pin 30, which projects through a curvilinear slot 31 in the bottom wall of the lock casing, and is rigidly fixed tothe valve member at a point removed a. short distance from the pivotal point. lmmediately beneath the valve member is provided a spring 32, connected at one end to a pin 33 mounted on the under side of the valve member, and at its opposite end to a similar pin 33 fixed to the lock casing. The spring is preferably of the fiat bar type, and bears against the collar 27 at the lower end of the stem 25. The spring is so arranged Cil as to exert a tension on the valve member to move the same into unlocking or open position, when released by the locking mechanism.

As hereinbefore indicated, the locking members are operated by means of the stem or shaft 25, which extends above the coverplate 22. To the upper end of the stem 25 is connected a rod 34:, there being employed a universal joint 35 between said rod and the stem. The rod is inclined at an angle to the stem and extends upwardly and rearwardly through the dash 36 of the automobile body (Figure l) to a point easily accessible to the driver. At the end of the rod is provided a knurled or milled head 37 for convenience in rotating the rod, there being further provided a bracket 3S secured to the dash.

The cover-plate 22 is circular in shape and closes the circular opening 2l in the top wall 2O of the casing, as hereinbefore stated, said cover being provided with a marginal iiange 4:0, which rests in a groove formed in the side wall of the casing, thus permitting said plate to be countersunk flush with the top surface of the casing. The cover-plate is securely iiXed in place by means of a plurality of screws 4l, 41 arranged at suitable distances around the edge of the cover-plate and extending through the flange thereof and anchored in bosses or lugs 42 arranged about the opening and formed integral with the side and top walls of the casing. In order to insert the screws in a manner to render them nonremovable, there are provided comparatively deep holes 43 in the upper surface of the cover-plate, adapted to receive the heads of the screws, which are sunk below the top surface of the plate when the screws are driven tightly in place. The spaces above the heads of the screws are filled with molten metal 4:41-, thus sealing the screw holes and preventing the removal of the screws by a screwdriverl or other tool.

lu order to eliminate, as far as possible, the ileakage of air into the interior of the casing, the stem. 25 is provided just above the cover-plate with an integral collar 45, having its under surface hollowed to form a sharp circular edge which bears downwardly upon the surface of the cover-plate. The downwardly facing edge of the collar in its rotative movement gradually wears a circular groove in the surface of the cover-plate in which said edge rests, 4thus providing a gas tight joint between the stem and cover-plate.

The operation of the locking device will now be described. The driver, upon stopping his automobile and desiring to lock it, grasps the head 37 and turns it in a direction to rotate the tumblers of the locking mechanism, which in turn will throw the valve member into locking position, thus preventing the passage of the hydrocarbon gas from the carbureter into the cylinders. Having moved the valve into closed position, a further rotation of the tumblers will result in their being thrown out of register-` ing relation, with the result that the valve is securely locked in closed position. driver, upon returning and desiring to unlock the automobile, manipulates the lock according to its predetermined con'ibination, thereby restoring the tumblers to their proper registering relation, so that at the instant the lowermost tumbler is brought into registering relation with the others, the G lock is released and the valve is free to be rotated, this being automatically accomplished by means of the spring 32. From this description, it is manifest that the lock ing mechanism is manipulated to release the valve member, the actual movement of the valve into unlocking position being accomplished by the spring.

inasmuch as the locking device is integral with the intake manifold, it is clear that, in

order to apply it to a motor, a complete and The it or to mutilate the same, without danger of breaking the intake pipe in an effort to break the casing. To break the intake pipe would obviously defeat the end desired, and so too the cutting of the operatingshaft would be of no avail, inasmuch as it would. not disconnect the locking mechanism from the. valve member, thus permitting the operation of the latter to open the intake pipe. ln other words, having locked. the motor, no damage to parts exterior of t-he.casing will affect the security of the device.

The features herein pointed out and other y details embodying` the invention are herein` after set forth in the appended claims.

ll claim as my invention:

l. An automobile locking device compris'- ing `a mixture intake pipe of an internal combustion motor, a casing contiguous to said intake pipe and formed integrally therewith, a wall separating the interior of said casing and the passage of said pipe, and provided with. a slot, a shaft journaled in said casing, a valve member mounted on said shaft, and adapted to be swung in Wardly and outwardly through said slot to close and open said passage, locking meehanism mounted in said casing and connected with said Valve member, and operative by the rotating of said' shaft.

2. Am auto-mobile looking device, comprising a mixture intake pipe of an internal `Combustion motor, a easing Contiguous to said intake pipe and formed integrally therewith, said pipe being provided with a slot opening into said easing, a shaft journalled in sait easing, a valve member pivotally mounted on said shaft, and adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardly through said slot to open and close the passage through said pipe, valve looking mechanism Carried by said shaft and adapted to aotuate said valve in one direction, and lto be manipulated to release said valve member, and tension means Yfor moving said valve member in the opposite direc-tion.

Laewao 3. An automobile looking device, .comprising a mixture intake manifold, a easing integral With said manifold and communieating` therewith through a transverse slot, a shaft journalled in said easing, a valve member pivotally mounted on said shaft and in the plane of said slot and adapted to be swung into and out of looking position transversely of the passage through said manifold, a` permutation look mounted on said shaft and connected to said Valve member, and means exterior of said easing for rotating said shaft.

In testimony that I claim the `foregoing as my invention, I my signature in the presence of two Witnesses, this 20th day of April, A. D. 1917.

EMERSON C. RUSSELL,

Witnesses CHARLES H. POOLE, CLARA L. PnorLns. 

